Why Aren’t Belizean Lawyers Making It to the High Court Bench?

Why are qualified Belizean attorneys applying for seats on the High Court but not making it to the shortlist? That question is now at the center of a growing dispute over the latest judicial appointments. The Opposition says at least six Belizean lawyers applied for the vacancies, including former Chief Magistrate Sharon Frazer, who reportedly never even got an acknowledgment of her application. Opposition Leader Tracy Panton says the concern is not whether foreign nominees are qualified. She says the real issue is why Belize continues to overlook its own legal professionals. Here is Panton on what she calls a troubling pattern.

 

Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“We are concerned. In fact when I received the letter from the cabinet secretary, normally what happens for appointment in j- for judges both at the high court and the appeal court, the names are submitted to the opposition for vetting and no objection, which we have not been able to give. Even the last time when there was an appointment to the high court, we expressed our concern at that time about the fact that it seems, it appears that qualified Belizean professionals are being overlooked. We know that they have applied. We know that they have not been shortlisted. They have not been invited to an interview. And so when we got the list this time with the same kind of pattern, we have made a query, a formal query to the Cabinet Secretary’s office about the fact that no Belizean seems to be qualified for the job. I want to be clear that there’s no indictment on the professionalism of the foreign judges, but a progressive country in my view, should be able to source judges from its own legal fraternity. And we have not seen that in a while, and so it’s concerning. I understand the level of frustration that our legally, our legal fraternity in Belize feels. Ms. Fraser has served with exemption. She has given a lot of years to the judiciary in this country. I believe that she’s eminently qualified. And she was not the only Belizean who applied. Why Belizeans were not – at least shortlist them, bring them before a panel, have them interviewed and if they don’t make the mark, they don’t make the mark. But I – for them not even to be considered, I think really sets, really is really cause for concern.” 

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

Watch the full newscast here: